


Not Alone

by et_cetera55



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-27
Updated: 2009-10-27
Packaged: 2017-11-01 01:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/350633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/et_cetera55/pseuds/et_cetera55
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was written for <a href="http://derryere.livejournal.com/">derryere's</a> amazing <i>♥ <a href="http://derryere.livejournal.com/125553.html">Merlin/Arthur Hug Meme</a> ♥</i> and is unashamed fluff!</p>
    </blockquote>





	Not Alone

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [derryere's](http://derryere.livejournal.com/) amazing _♥[Merlin/Arthur Hug Meme](http://derryere.livejournal.com/125553.html) ♥_ and is unashamed fluff!

**Title:** Not Alone  
 **Author:** et_cetera55  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Pairing:** Arthur/Merlin  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Spoilers:** None  


  
Once the last knight had filed past him out of the training arena Arthur leant his head back against the wooden boards behind him, shut his eyes and exhaled deeply. He just wanted everything to go away. To go back to a more innocent time, when the sword he played with was wooden and his opponent knight an annoying girl who acted like she was his older sister. This current burden was too great for him to bear.

“Sire,” a familiar voice called out.

Arthur didn’t move except to clench his jaw tighter. Maybe if he ignored Merlin, Merlin would ignore him.

“Arthur,” the voice said, softer but much closer now. “Are you ok?”

Slowly he lowered his head, opened his eyes and tried to hide his surprise that Merlin was standing less than an arms length in front of him. So the sorcerer _could_ move quietly when he chose to. He looked closer: the pity and understanding on Merlin’s face made his resolve to ignore him crumble.

“No. No it’s not alright, Merlin.”

Merlin just waited for him to continue.

“The Mercian ambassador arrived this morning with new demands… oh I’m sorry, they’re not demands… they’re _requests_.” He didn’t mean to lace his speech with such venomous sarcasm but he was so frustrated. Merlin’s expression didn’t change though and Arthur found himself opening up further,

“I can’t agree to these conditions, Merlin. But if I don’t there will be war,” Arthur ran his hands through his hair. “Merlin I don’t know if I can do this. If I can send these men to a war, knowing some, if not many will die!”

“Arthur, you will do what you have to. If you have to send these men to war…you will. And it will have been the right thing to do.”

The King looked into Merlin’s eyes, trying to find any sign of Merlin not believing his own words. But all he saw there was complete conviction… complete faith.

“Arthur,” Merlin continued quietly, “Trust yourself. Trust your judgement. You are a great king.” A smile crossed the sorcerer’s face, “You’re still a prat though!”

Arthur snorted softly. Trust Merlin to insult him in an effort to cheer him up! He gave the smallest of smiles to his friend. In response Merlin opened his arms wide, tilted his head to one side and raised his eyebrows in question. Arthur stepped into the hug, wrapping his arms gently around Merlin in return. Merlin hugged him tighter and Arthur buried his face into Merlin’s shoulder, inhaling the herbal scent that always clung to the sorcerer.

As they stood there in each other’s embrace Arthur decided that whilst this burden was too great to bear on his own…perhaps he could manage with Merlin at his side.  



End file.
